Tablet for telephones



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. B. MORRIS.

TABLET FOR TELEPHONES.

No. 424,493.- Patented Apr 1, 1890.

J0EE! I JnV-Enfar (N0 Model.) '2 sheets-sheep:

J. B. MORRIS.

TABLET FOR TELEPHONBS.

No. 424,493. Patented Apr. 1, 1890,

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JOIIN l3. MURRIS, OF (lNClNNA'lL OHIO.

TABLET FOR renew-tones.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Ijetters Patent No. 424,493, dated April 1, 1890.

Application filed September 9, 1889. Serial No. 323,393., No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN l3. MORRIS, acitizen of the l'nited States, and a resident of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of llamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tablets for Telephones and other Articles, of which the following is a specification.

The several features of my invention and the various advantages arising from their use conjointly or otherwise will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tablet embodying my invention and showing its application to the side of the box containing the battery of the telephone at one end of the telephonic line. Fig. 2 is a vertical central cross-section of the upper portion of a writing-tablct, taken at the line 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of a tablet embodying my invention. Fig. l is a perspective view of a modification of my device. Fig. 5 is a central section of the major part of the device shown in Fig. i. Fig. 6 shows one means of applying-the device shown in Fig. i to a telephone.

While my invention is applicable in many situations and for many purposes, it primarily adapted for use in connection with telephones and that class of speaking-tubes and the like where one hand of the operator is engaged with the tube through which sound is transmitted to the car. Thus, in the case of the telephone, one hand of the receiver of messages is ordinarily employed in holding the telephone .to the ear, and in the case of many speaking-tubes one hand is employed in holding an elastic tube to the ear or in pressing back a diaphragm which, impelled by spring-pressure, automatic-all y closes the tube whenever the hand oi the operator is withdrawn from it.

, A indicates a small table, preferably inclined, as shown. This table is suitably supported on legs or by brackets attached to the wall or adjacent support. in the case of the telephone the box M, containing the battery, is ordinarily present and located a short (listancebclow the transmitter N. To the'side of this box the tablet is in the present illustrative instance attached by means of the angular brackets K, secured to the tablet at or near that edge of the tablet which is adjacent to the battery-box M. In the drawings the brackets are shown attached to the under side of the tablet in proximity to said edge, one bracket being located near the upper end of the tablet. and the other bracket being located near the lower end of said tablet, one angular [ace of each tablet. bearing against the battery-box M of the telephone, and the brackets being secured to the tablet and to the said battery-box M by means of screws.

Another very desirable means of supporting the table A in position is that shown in Figs. 4 and 5, where the brackets K are adapted for attachment to the wall adjacent to the telephone. These brackets K consist of the vertical wall-plate 7., from which the lugs 7c and 7: extend in an oblique direction, and between which the table A is inserted and preferably held by a screw. At the sides of the tablet are secured two bracket-s E, parallel to each other and at a su tiicient distance apart to freely admit between them a roll of paper of the desired width for use in connection with the said tablet. In the form shown in Fig. 1 the brackcts are placed beneath the tablet; but in the form shown in Fig. l they are above the tablet. lhe end of each bracket is provided with an opening E, constituting the bearing for the journal of the roller ll, carrying the roll P of paper. Entrance to the j ournal-bearing Eis provided by the opening E whose direction varies to suit the position of the roll of paper 1. (illustrated in Figs. 3 and i.) The roller or axis ll, which is to support the paper-roll, at each end terminates, preferably, in the diminished portion ll, forming a journal.

In adjusting the paper and rollerll into position the roller It is first passed through the central opening present in the paper-rolls of this character, and the paper-roll is then passed between the brackets E E, and each journal it is introduced into its respective adjacent bearing E through the adjacent slot E The end of the roller being larger than the opening'E of the bearing, and the roller proper being between the brackctsE E, the brackets will prevent the roller from slipping longitudinally out of thcpaper-roll. The weight of the paper-roll and the roller ll serve to keep thejournal II of the roller in position in their respective bearings.

For the purpose of preventing the paperroll from unwinding too rapidlyfrom the roller, a brake is employed, of any suitable description, one form of which is shown in the draw ings, and consists of a rod F provided at each end with an arm F. The upper free end of each of the arms F is pivoted at F in its adjacent bracket E. Thus the brake-rod 1*" is free to oscillate on its pivots at F.

The spring to press the rod 1 against the roll of paper P consists of an velastic rod G, made of spring metal, and wound once around the pivotal rod F, one end G of the spring bearing against the tablet and the other end G2 of said spring being wound around its adjacent arm F of the brake The tendency of each of these springs at each end of the brake is to press the brake lb against the paper, the arms G G of each of the springs continually endeavoring to separate, thus transmitting their pressure to the brake F The upper end A of the preferred form of tablet is rounded, so that paper drawn from the roll may pass up and around said end and down upon the tablet without undue friction.

Each upper corner of the tablet is provided with an extension-piece A, and between these extensions and secured thereto extends a rod D, the rod D being at a SllillClQlliI distance from the rounded end A of the tabletto allow the paper to pass between the said red I) and the said end A of the tablet. The rod D prevents the paper from buckling away from the end A of the tablet, and assists in keeping it in position between the extensions A A of the tablet.

Near the upper end of the tablet is located the guide-rod C. This gnide-rod is secured at each end of the tablet, and between said guide-rod Cand the upper surface of the tablet there is a slight space left suiiicient to allow one thickness of paper from the roll P to readily pass. The rod C is quite near to the tablet and keeps the paper beneath itclose down to the tablet.

At the lower end of the tablet is a crossbarB, secured at each end to the tablet, and, like the rod 0, raised just farenough to allow a single thickness of the roll to pass without undue friction and at the same time holding the sheet of paper against the upper surface of the tablet. The lower edge is angular, preferably sharp, and operates as a knife.

The mode in which my improved tablet: is utilized is as follows, viz: The free end of the paperof the roll is carried up and over the rounded end of the tablet and between the said end and the rod D. The end of the paper is next carried down upon the upper surface of the tablet, first under the guide-rod C, and then under the knifc-barli The paper, lying upon the upper surface of the tablet,

lies flat thereupon and is held firmly in position. lt is now in readiness to receive any memorandum to be written thereon by the person at the telephone or speaking tube, and as he receives the message from said telephone or tube the tablet affords him a convenient opportunity for writing down what, he hears, the tablet holding the paper firmly in position and allowing the operator the entire use of his hand for writing down the message upon the paperon the tablet. After the message has been received and written down the operator draws down that portion of the paper containing the message until it has passed below the knife-bar 13. He then raises that portion of the paper below the knife-barli, and it is cut oft" by the latter. At the same time that he has thus drawn down and cut off that portion of paper containing the message a fresh portion of paper has appeared on the tablet in readiness for him to write down a second message, which shall be received from the telephone or tube. In this way the tablet can be utilized for the reception of any number of successive messages by any one operator or by a number of parties in turn using the telephone or tube.

While the various features of my invention are preferably employed together, one or more of said features may be used without the remainder, and, in so far as applicable, one or more of said features may be used in connection with writing-tablets other than the specific entirety hereinbefore described.

\Vhat I claim as new and of myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A writing-tablet A, having on its upper surface knife-bar 1%, located near its lower end, and the guide-bar (l, locatednear its upper end, and the supplemental guide-bar1'),

located at the upper end of the tablet, in connection with a paper-roll suitably supported, substantially as and for the purposes specitied.

2. A writing-tablet provided at its lower end with a guide-bar I), located over the paper and allowing the paper to be torn upward, and at its upper end having a guidebar L, in combination with apaper-roll suit ablysupported, and a brake consisting of the right-angled frame F F, whose ends are pivoted in the sides of the frame E, and whose cross-bar I rests upon the roller ll, and a spring for pressing said brake-rod F against the said roller, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. A writing-tablet provided at its lower end with a guide-bar B, located over the paper, and at its upper end having a guide bar C, in combination with a papcr-roll suit ably supported, and a brake consisting of the right-angled frame F W, whose ends are piv oted in the sides of the frame E, and whose cross-bar F rests upon the roller ll, and a spring G, bent around the pivot l one end of said spring pressing on the said frame F TOO F and the other bearing against the tablet, substantlally as and for the purposes specified. 4. In a writing-tablet having hangers E E,

provided with journal-bearings E E and ent trance E thereto, and roller H, providedwith ournals H, of smaller diameter than the roller, the paper beingmounted upon said roller H, and suitable brake, as F, the writing-tablet provided at its upper surface'with" the guide-bar C and the knife-bar B, and the supplemental guide-bar D, located at theupper end of the tablet, the upper endv of the upper end of the tablet, and the brackets K K, hangers E E, roller H, supported therein, and brake F substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6-. A writing-tablet provided with extension end pieces A A, projecting beyond the rounded end intermediate between them, and the'supplemental guide-bar D, extending over the said rounded end of the tablet ata slight distance therefrom and secured to said extensions, and guide-bar C on the top of the tablet and near itsupper end, and the bar B on the tablet near its lower end, and supports for thepaper-roll, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

JOHN B. MORRIS. At Lest:

K. SMITH, G. A. W. PAVER. 

